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Mozilla reportedly is offering a prototype handset called Keon for developers to get their hands on a smartphone with the forthcoming Firefox operating system, according to the Geekphone website. The phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon S1 processor running at 1 gigahertz, 500 megabytes of RAM, four gigabytes of data storage and 2G/3G/Wi-Fi connectivity, this blog post notes. Mozilla has yet to comment on the report.

Next Thing has initiated a Kickstarter campaign for its Chip single-board computer, which will sell for $9. The design includes 512 megabytes of RAM, 4 gigabytes of data storage and an ARM-based R8 processor that can run at 1 gigahertz; it also features Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.

LG Electronics will depart from its usual practice of deploying Android smartphones by introducing a handset at around midyear that will support Mozilla's Firefox platform, the South Korean electronics maker said. LG will release the Firefox phones in three South American countries and Spain with plans to add five more overseas markets. LG termed the move as a way "to meet diversifying consumer needs" rather than a turn away from Android.

Smartphones with the Firefox operating system will become available this summer, Mozilla reported at an industry conference. Alcatel One Touch, LG Electronics and ZTE will be the first handset manufacturers to offer Firefox-based smartphones, followed by Huawei Technologies. There are 18 operators around the world ready to support such phones, but handsets with the Firefox OS won't come out in the U.S. until next year.

Qualcomm used the 2013 International CES to introduce two new processors for smartphones and tablet computers, the Snapdragon 600 and 800, which promise to operate 75% faster with greater energy efficiency. The Snapdragon 800 is a quad-core processor that can run at up to 2.3 gigahertz, while the Snapdragon 600 is specified for 1.9GHz. The new processors are being designed into 50 phones and tablets that will become available beginning in mid-2013, said Qualcomm's Steve Mollenkopf.